His statement: “Confirming what is before him” — does this mean confirming what is in front of him?
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The questioner : His statement: [Al-Baqarah 2:66] Does this include what precedes, meaning what is in front of him and what is behind him? That is, if the Qur'an reports a matter and then that matter occurs, does the Qur'an confirm it?
The Shaykh : No, the meaning of “what is before him” refers to the Scripture, as Allah the Exalted said in Surat al-Ma'idah:[Al-Ma'idah 5:48] and there is no Scripture after it,
The questioner : But there are things in it that have occurred?
The Shaykh : Yes, that is correct, but it is not confirming what is before him, because how can it confirm what is before him? That is, in the future. Confirmation is for something that has not yet occurred. If it said: “Confirming what is before him,” that would be correct, to report the truth of what is to come. So the verse in al-Ma'idah restricts this, and also the meaning does not hold up.
those who were present
ما بين يديهThe Shaykh : No, the meaning of “what is before him” refers to the Scripture, as Allah the Exalted said in Surat al-Ma'idah:
And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture
وأنزلنا عليك الكتاب بالحق مصدقا لما بين يديه من الكتابThe questioner : But there are things in it that have occurred?
The Shaykh : Yes, that is correct, but it is not confirming what is before him, because how can it confirm what is before him? That is, in the future. Confirmation is for something that has not yet occurred. If it said: “Confirming what is before him,” that would be correct, to report the truth of what is to come. So the verse in al-Ma'idah restricts this, and also the meaning does not hold up.